Sweet Cherry
by BeatOneHeart
Summary: It is not easy to be the daughter of Don Haruno nor to be the son of Don Uchiha, and it is certainly not easy to unite two of the most feared mafia families through marriage.
1. Chapter 1

_Sweet Cherry - I_

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 _Content/Prompt: Being children of different mafia families, their marriage is a significant change in their lives as they share the evening after their wedding together._

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The great villa stands out with an ancient touch within the capturing gentle gold of sunshine, yet it is far from old. The brightest and whitest of marble welcomes the newly married pair as they enter the enormous gates that are meant to keep the villa safe. The new guards greet their masters with a bowing head – they would have to introduce each other later since the pair surely would need to recognize who works for them and who doesn´t. The life of the mafia is one that is dangerous and even more so if the said pair are uniting families by their marriage. Many other families would take advantage to part them and to break the strong bond of two of the city´s most feared mafia families. It is widely known that the new pair has to be careful.

The chauffeur stops the limousine elegantly in front of the villa´s wide doors and next to the fountain which graces the place with marble statues of angels and heroes. The chauffeur steps outside and hurries to open the car´s door for his new masters. First steps out a man clad in a black suit. He has black hair and eyes, and a glorious face of an Adonis. He looks around, eyes scanning his new home. Next, he turns around and unwraps his right hand off its white glove. It is obvious who he holds his hand out to as a soft, feminine one reaches out to take his. He stands steadily as his eyes follow the woman who steps out of the limousine with grace in every movement. The golden sun settles around her pastel pink hair and bare shoulders. The white of her striking wedding dress stays untouched by the light, and so she steps further to stand beside her spouse in front of their new home. They make a perfect picture of a married pair in front of their villa and fountain. As soon as they move out of the limousine´s space, they let go of each other´s hands and he nods his chauffeur a goodbye as he drives off. They watch the limousine exit the mansion through the gates before he turns around to approach the villa and she follows.

Her heels click in practiced rhythm as he holds the doors open to her and she enters first. They exchange looks after he closes the doors and turns around. She stands firm and back straight proudly as he closes the distance between them, yet places a comfortable distance.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sasuke Uchiha."

She holds out a hand for him to shake. He takes it with a raised eyebrow.

"Quite formal, are we?"

"I simply do not recall us sharing a proper conversation before."

He nods and they let go of their hands. Hers is wrapped around her other one, whereas his finds its way to his suit´s pocket.

"Let me tell you something then. I promised myself to let you something know from the very beginning of this…circumstance." He makes a generous gesture, implying all of their surroundings to be part of it.

She stands still as he continues speaking. "I thoroughly and sincerely apologize for this sudden marriage." She shares an indifferent blink of her eyes. "To lessen your probable sour mood; I was not prepared myself. Not in the slightest." She sighs at his confession, head narrowing before straightening up again.

"It is relieving to hear that we both share this, as you describe it, _sour_ mood." He feels himself being a little more optimistic at their shared emotions. She looks around and turns to walk deeper into their shared villa. "However, it is not hiding the fact that we both cannot escape this situation and must adjust to our new condition. Let us step inside and look what we will find in this capturing home of ours."

They explore the villa as a couple. Door by door they open and look inside. Room by room they enter and observe. She tries to act delighted, and he tries to act interested. They attempt to waste time for the last room to see which makes them uncomfortable for what to come.

"This is the last room", she says as she opens the door. This time, she doesn´t smile.

Their shared bedroom comes into view as they walk inside. They let their eyes gaze over every inch and then she spots the glass bottle and two glasses on her nightstand.

"I think someone thought this through well enough." She takes the bottle in her delicate hands and examines it. Her face does not fail to show enchantment. "And what kind being this was! It is my most loved drink, _Sweet Cherry_ , a true healer for my soul." She turns around and looks at him, expectantly and mocking. "Shall we?"

He cannot deny her beauty as she motions for him to carry the bottle so she can hold the glasses. She decides they sit at a table by the balcony and he doesn´t refuse. They settle on their chairs and she fills their glasses with red liquor. "Cheers" they say and let their glasses clink before enjoying their drinks.

She closes her eyes and tastes the flavour on her tongue. "Bless this kind soul! What a memorable taste indeed!" She doesn´t hesitate to take another sip, and another.

He smirks. "Do I have to be afraid that you enjoy these kinds of drinks much?"

She blushes, and her lip forms a little pout. "Oh, please. This is a special occasion made for special drinks."

"You say", he comments as he settles his head on his palm. "I hope it takes away the bothers of the day."

She leans back to set for a more comfortable position. "I will not lie. It does. Though, I believe it could have been worse."

He raises an eyebrow. "How do you think of worse?"

"If you had been an ancient don of whichever mafia exists out there", she grazed the tip of her finger over the golden ring of the other. "I would have killed you. However, you are lucky to be around my age and", she stops as she searches his eyes with her own, "surprisingly, _handsome_."

He stills for four seconds and snorts. His hand lets go of his head and takes her hand with the golden ring instead. He raises it for its back to meet his lips as he gently kisses her hand. Her eyes follow his every movement while she smiles, deeply appreciating his manners of a true gentleman.

"It is my pleasure to meet such a beautiful woman, Sakura _Uchiha_."

.

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 _Fin._

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 _Beat´s Note: After watching 91 Days (anime), my writer´s block vanished and I fell in love with this idea. I will only write little drabbles about this story, so I don´t know if there will be any story progress. If you want to suggest any prompts for this AU or any other prompts for other AUs or questions about my works in general, go for it and ask me here or on Tumblr (it´s honestly better on Tumblr since I get faster notifications there. The emails by ff net sometimes don´t even reach my inbox). My name is BeatOneHeart there, too._

 _Hope you enjoyed it!_

 _-Beat ^^_


	2. Chapter 2

_Sweet Cherry - II_

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 _Summary: It´s one month into their marriage, and she already tries to escape the assassination of Don Uchiha´s daughter in law._

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White stilettos are showing brown mud strains as they rush over an uneven road of cobblestones. Yelling and gun shots follow from behind, louder than the clicking sound of the heels. Heavy rain hits deep puddles on the ground. The woman with the stilettos is not aware of the nasty stains the rain and puddles leave on her sapphire dress. She is busy with running and catching air as she races through the dark streets. There are only few lanterns in this part of the city.

 _They chose this place well for an assassination_ , she thinks.

The wall she leans on is slick and covered with wet moss. Her head and left shoulder rest on the wall as she takes deep breathes and attempts to rip off the lower part of her dress. It requires more strength than she thinks so she cries out loud into the night and pulls harder. She is satisfied as her dress is only knee long now, and even more as she finally reaches the gun in its holder that is attached on her upper leg. She raises the gun to examine its beauty and its meaning, and she chuckles to herself as she remembers what her husband has said while handing it over to her.

 _A beautiful gun for my beautiful lady._

The scrap of cloth is snatched as she starts running further. She throws it onto the road ahead of her and runs into the next side alley. It´s only a little hope that her followers might catch the bait, but she has no other options to count on. There are wet strands of hair in her face which freed themselves from the once perfectly made bun she has been occupied with for almost an hour this morning. She stops and her mouth stands partly open as she listens to the approaching footsteps from behind. Her pink brows form a knot between them as she examines the main road from the hidden place in her side alley. Green eyes are blazing brightly in the night as she grabs her gun with both hands and raises it. Her chest is rising and falling, slower and slower. The exposed skin above is wet with the rain and her sweat which glistens in the white moonlight.

Something snaps inside of her. She turns around fast and is determined to shoot a hole in between the eyes of the person who dared to approach her from behind.

That´s when she stills and her eyes widen. She gasps at the smirking man who is drained in red blood, holding his arms next to his head. She turns around to focus on her followers again, pointing the gun towards the main road.

" _What have you done to your dress?"_ , he asks as he lifts the dress up a little to examine the damage of it.

She knows she would roll her eyes at his comment if they wouldn´t be in this type of dangerous situation.

" _I lured them here. Focus on the main road."_

He nods and raises his own gun, standing next to her.

" _Won´t you ask your husband what the blood on his shirt means?"_

This time, she rolls her eyes.

 _This husband of hers._

" _I already know it´s not yours."_

He chuckles, and as they spot the first man running on the main road, the shooting begins.

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.

.

The sun is rising as she sits on her chair next to the table by the balcony. They have arrived at their villa almost two hours ago. The shooting has been a stressful mess until Don Uchiha and Don Haruno have sent some people for backup. Itachi, Sasuke´s brother, has been amongst them and has volunteered to take care of the mess by himself, sending the couple home.

 _We had been married for only a month yesterday,_ she muses. _And were attacked on the same day._

The sound of a bottle meeting the table makes her head turn around. Her husband stands there, saying " _Sweet Cherry._ "

She doesn´t respond but watches him pouring her a glass instead. The soft breeze from outside makes her shiver beneath her bathrobe and lets her damp, curly hair dance slowly around her head.

" _You should put on some clothes or you might catch a cold",_ her husband says, sitting on his chair next to her.

She shakes her head. _"Not now_."

He takes her hand in his, frowning at its cold and then at her stubborn eyes.

" _Sakura."_

" _You´re not warm either."_

His frown deepens as he surrenders when she playfully pulls at his own bathrobe. She smiles at his expression and stands up. It´s when he opens his mouth to protest that she boldly seats herself on his right leg and throws her arms around his head, embracing him. Her head rests on his shoulder, her hair tickles his skin, and he cannot help but be paralyzed. It´s the first time that she allows them to be this close. The only closeness between them has been holding hands and sleeping next to each other. _This_ is something entirely new.

" _Let´s keep each other warm",_ she says.

His gaze softens, and he cautiously wraps his own arms around her little form. One hand rests on her delicate, round shoulder as the other one draws the slowest patterns on her back. These welcoming gestures of him encourage her to embrace him even tighter. It´s as they contently close their eyes to enjoy this new kind of closeness that he realizes what the hidden message behind her words has been.

 _Let´s keep each other safe._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _Fin._

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 _Beat´s Note: Oh my God I love this AU. Prompts for this story are gladly appreciated and will definitely make me happy! If you have any, feel free to share them!_

 _-Beat ^^_


	3. Chapter 3

_Sweet Cherry – III_

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 _Prompt: Jealousy and the danger of Sweet Cherry._

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The celebration of his twenty-third birthday is a vast and colourful affair. The villa which seems too large for only a couple to live in is occupied with hundreds of guests. There are several families present, however, the focus is set on the Uchihas and Harunos. More precisely, it is set on the couple which unites these two.

The lady of the villa is standing by one of the vast mosaic windows as she attempts to catch a breath alone – and not next to some guest she is meant to be polite to. These types of parties have never been her thing, yet she stands here, hosting her own.

No, _their_ own.

She wonders where her husband must be at this moment as someone calls for her, standing almost intolerably close to her.

"Lady Uchiha?"

She counts to two before turning her head towards the voice. It is a man she does not recognize, which is not unusual during this evening.

"Yes?" She fakes her smile, giving it as less attention as possible. Many men have attempted to court her in these past few hours, and her disgust for them grows stronger with every man who tries. If she were not married, there would be forced understanding, but given the fact that they are courting her in _their home_ makes it even worse.

"The party has me enchanted thoroughly. I have decided to give my praise to the housekeeper… _sincerely_."

The stress of the last word almost makes her cringe in disgust, and before this would go any farther down the south road, she is sure to have this nasty man pay a visit to _someone else_. Before she is able to say anything, he calls for one servant behind them who carries drinks. She takes one, not for the man but for her beloved _Sweet Cherry._ The glass with the liquor finds its place on the windowsill as she speaks.

"How thoughtful", she gracefully answers. Just as a darker smile forms on the man´s lips, she adds, "My husband must be among us all, eagerly waiting for your _sincere praise_ , mister." As his smile cracks, but he does not start to move, she gestures towards the crowd of people, indicating for him to take his leave.

" _Please_ ,", she stresses with a cheeky smile. "Feel free to look for him."

He stills and clears his throat, his back straightening even more. It shows that he is determined, and she uses every piece of little self-control to not punch this man in his disturbing face.

"I apologize", he says, holding his hand out to her for a shake. She clasps her hands together on instinct, but he does not remove his outstretched hand. "I have yet to introduce myself. I am –"

An arm appears between them, pushing the man backwards, with force that looks little but speaks volumes. The male hand takes the other one, pushing even further. It looks like a handshake only, but the message is clear. The lady smiles, and her head tilts up with pride.

 _He is thoroughly jealous._

"Welcome to the celebration of my birthday", her husband does not fake his evil smile as the other man almost grimaces at the force that squeezes the flesh and bones of his hand.

"I would have wished for you to first look for _my_ company than my wife´s, _mister_."

The lady of the villa decides to enjoy the scenery before her, pleased by the taste of her _Sweet Cherry_ on her tongue.

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Later into the night, the orchestra plays soft music for a romantic dance. The couple of the villa takes the first one, and others follow soon after. There are dark silhouettes of the dancers within the dim lights, and the music is loud enough to not overhear their shared sweet nothings they whisper into the other´s ear.

"Happy birthday, husband."

They are close to each other, him being one head taller than her in her stilettos. They sway slowly to the piano and violin, his left hand on her slender waist, her right one on his chest, the other hands occupied with holding the other. Their touches are delicate, and tender. They are soft, and they share warmth. He bends his head down to catch her eyes, her smile, and her silent words. She eagerly looks up, giving him the spotlight he deserves on this special day of his.

 _Even though the lights are dim_ , he muses, _her eyes shine a bright green in the darkness_.

"How many times do you want to congratulate me today?" He asks because it has certainly not been the first time.

His cologne fills her nostrils, as she remembers the sight of him shaving this morning.

"As many times as I want."

His eyes narrow, and its affectionate.

"You´re stubborn."

"I´m your wife."

He archs one of those perfect eyebrows she strokes secretly at night when he sleeps.

"I am aware. So?"

He is used to her playing tone, so is she of his.

"Since I am _your wife_ ", she stresses, "I should be allowed to say it as many times as I want. You´re my husband, after all, thus I should be allowed to share my happiness countless times with you, don´t you think?"

The fluttering of her catlike eyes makes him trip lightly. She catches him, however, and a little giggle escapes her lips.

 _She is an angel_ , he thinks.

His grip on her waist tightens a little, he pulls her closer towards his chest, and so she gasps, her mouth slightly parting. They continue their dancing, and he looks into her eyes with all the heaviness he can manage.

The blush on her cheeks is a win for his masculine pride.

There is an innocent question he attempts to ask, but it is an earnest one he wants her to answer as sincerely as possible. It is why he never loses his gaze on her eyes. He does not complain, since he has always found her eyes mesmerizing.

"Are you happy…here…with _me_?"

Her blush intensifies as she sees the gentle man that has found his way outside again. She came to learn that her husband has his charming moments in which she cannot handle the warm and excited feeling inside her chest. Their swaying slowly stops, and they neither sense music nor noise anymore. It is just _them_ , here and now. Her fingers on his chest brush his torso as they climb higher and higher until they stop on his brows. She is tenderly brushing her fingertips from one end to the other, and they slowly find their way down again, stopping at the feeling of his fast pulse on his throat.

 _His heart is beating so quick…for me?_

"Sasu –"

She chokes on her word, and it suddenly is hard to breath. There are coughs, and spit, and a hand on her mouth as she wobbles on her feet and he catches her –

"Sakura!"

The music stops at his yelling, so does the crowd around them. Her eyes tear up, she shakes, her lips are blue and her skin pale and there is suddenly blood dripping from her nose –

"Suee…eeet…errr…eee", she attempts to choke out as his head and eyes vehemently move around to look for any healthy part of her body.

"Wha-what did you say? Sakura?! Sakura, stay awake!" He sets her head on his upper leg as he kneels down, looking her up and down to find _anything._ It´s as he knows that he is a hopeless mess, he calls for a doctor and the crowd starts to talk and gather close around them. Wetness finds its way into his eyes and nostrils as he strokes her head, her hair, her face –

"Sakura!"

Her mouth forms a circle as she desperately manages to choke out words. Her eyes are searching his, and he is trying to not think of the worst thing that might happen.

"…o…oiisooo…nhh", she chokes out before her eyes close and her head falls to the side.

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 _Fin._

* * *

 _Beat´s Note: Ayyy, thanks for all the support, guys! I would´ve never expected so many reviews, favourites and follows! I am so happy that you all enjoy this as much as I do! **Thank you, so so so much!**_

 _Now, I want to answer a few things that came up in the reviews:_

 _ **About handling the situation like adults** : Yes, I truly try to make this as realistically (?) romantic as possible (I was never in a relationship before, mind you, but I have other resources). I do like some arranged marriage fanfictions in which they first hate each other, but I got bored out of it at some point. I also think that it is more interesting and cute this way, since we see them talking seriously, and not quarrelling over little things. Note that they are also heirs of mafia families, so they should know about how to handle these situations so smoothly by compromising and such. That´s why I tried something new here. Glad you guys like it!_

 _ **Being suspicious of the Sweet Cherry** : I used the Sweet Cherry to give this story an elegant and romantic touch, but using it as something dangerous was an interesting idea. Thanks for making me aware of this! I gladly used it as a prompt._

 _ **Loving mafia stories:** I do, too! I had the idea about this story after watching some mafia anime and listening to OSTs of mafia movies. It was definitely worth it!_

 _I cannot wait for your reviews and for the next chapter!_

 _\- Beat ^^_


	4. Chapter 4

_Sweet Cherry – 4_

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She feels cold and dry when she wakes up to a vision of a bright, white ceiling. Everything looks blurry, so she refuses to stop her vehement blinking until she sees clear again. A rough sound releases her throat, begging for water. Next, she tries to move her limbs. Her fingers and toes are intact, even if rusted. Her head moves slightly from left to right, and back, then up and down. These movements leave a dizzy feeling, so she stops.

 _She is alive, and that is all that matters._

Her senses come to life slowly, so she listens to a slight snoring sound from her right. It is familiar, giving her the comfort that slows down her stressed heartbeat. Her lips are too dry to smile, yet it does not mean that she is not smiling on the inside.

 _My husband_ , she thinks as she falls into the dreamland again, accompanied by his soft snoring sound that feels like a well-missed lullaby.

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.

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The next time she wakes, she feels much stronger. Her lips are still dry, but her stamina has come back, altogether with her clear vision. She does not hesitate to raise her head and to look to her right, to maybe spot the person she expects to see, but there is only an empty chair. A feeling of longing follows, and she sighs, laying her head back on the pillow.

Just as she is reminiscing the evening of his birthday to remember what has led her to this place, the door to her hospital room opens. She raises her head to see who the visitor is, and she cannot help but be alarmed.

"Oh, dear _God_!", her voice is hoarse as she expresses her concern. " _What has happened to your face_?"

The man is just as shocked as she is as he hurries to her side and bends down, holding her hand in his.

"Answer me first. How are you feeling?", he asks, his free hand brushing her cheek. He looks troubled, and it is his bruised and bandaged face that tears her heart apart. As it is obvious that she lost the control over her tongue at the sight of his state, he tries again.

" _Sakura_."

She gulps and says, "I am fine, really. Not perfect, but I feel healthy." Her voice sounds rough and her throat feels dry. Just as she opens her mouth to ask him if he can bring her water, she finds herself in between his warm chest and safe arms. She feels that he is gentle in holding her, that his embrace is earnest and his sigh next to her ear is one of relief. The grip on her night gown tightens on her back, the heartbeat inside the man in front of her grows faster, and she wonders what he has been through after she lost her consciousness that night.

She wants to ask him, but he hurries out of the room to look for a doctor.

 _It is then that she notices the longing in her chest._

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The doctor says that she has overcome the worst of the poison, orders her to reside for a few days longer in the hospital, and exits the room after about half an hour, leaving the couple alone. She still sits on her hospital bed as he settles on his chair with a loud sigh. He leans back, and they share looks. This situation feels surreal, so there are no exchanged words for a while. The silence is easy to grasp, but difficult to break. There is a question that is yet to be answered, though, so he speaks.

"Don Haruno", he says.

She is taken from her daze, blinking and furrowing her brows.

"Papi?"

He clears his throat, resting his hands on his knees. He looks away shortly, then back at her questioning face.

"My face", he breaths out. She detects the way he is uncomfortable with telling the truth, and it takes her a while to understand.

He watches her looking down on her hands, shocked, then worried, sad, irritated. Her hands find their way to her mouth, and she gasps out loud, "Oh, _Papi_!" He jumps from his seat as she does from her bed, throwing the bedsheets aside. Just as she corners her bed to rush towards the door does he hold her by her arm to make her stop. She gives him an angry snarl, but he does not step back.

"What has gotten into you? You have to _rest_ , not to run around the hospital!"

She attempts to pull her arm back, but he does the same with strength that dominates her own. "Let me go! My poor Papi must be worried sick!" She pulls harder. " _I must call him_!"

"The one who is sick is _you_ ", he has become angry, so has his voice, thus she startles a little. "Now sit down here –"

"But my Pap –"

His patience fades, so he carries her to the bed himself. She wiggles and punches and kicks in his arms, but he does not give in. It is as he almost throws her down on her bed, presses her wrists next to her head, and tells her that he will bring her a telephone that she gives in.

There is a blush on her cheeks as he leaves the room, which is a remnant of his boldness when he pushed her on the bed.

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He cannot deny the jealousy inside his chest as he watches her speaking to her father. She sounds and acts with much more worry than before – when she talked to _him_. She sounds friendly, and loving, and caring. Although he would love to snatch that telephone from her hands, he feels satisfaction in her happiness and joy as she talks with her father.

"Yes, Papi, of course. Yes, he is here to protect me and treats me well, don´t worry."

His brows furrow as he listens to her talking, and he is sure that there is nothing as irritating in this world than to listen to his spouse´s conversation about him with his in-laws.

"Yes, yes, Papi. I love you. I will speak to you later."

Her call ends here, and he watches her holding her hands to her chest. She is holding back, but he knows to give her thoughts space. It is an uncomfortable situation for both of them, so he needs his distance as well. He suspects she feels a guilty conscious for what her father did to him, though he is not sure. There is also her concern and uncertainty about whether he holds a grudge against her father, and therefore, against _her_.

They silently sit again, and it is her who speaks first this time.

"I am sincerely sorry about…", her eyes leave his gaze to look over his face. "… _This_."

He sighs. There is still jealousy, though he is slightly satisfied that she is at least caring about him – _even if not as much as about her father_.

"There is no reason to apologize. I would do the same if it was my daughter."

Before he can comprehend what he just has said, her mouth stands open in a little gasp. There is an astonished silence as her cheeks turn red, and his ears do the same, eyes widening at the realization of his words. They do not look away, though, but hold the other´s eye in place with their own.

There is gratitude in her smile, combined with the shy bite on her lower lip. She is fluttering her eyes at him again - the same way she did when they danced on the day of his birthday. He does not know how to react, though he is relieved that he does not trip this time.

She cannot hold his intense gaze so she looks away, but the shy smile does not leave her lips for a while.

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 _Fin._

* * *

 _Beat´s Note: Here we go with the fourth chapter. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! I love the idea of protective Kizashi. I feel like this chapter was a little rushed, is it true?_

 _My comments on the latest reviews:_

 ** _Different from other arranged marriage stories:_** _Ah, yes my friends! I cannot express how much I love it that you appreciate this type of arranged-marriage-fic. I truly try to make them get closer slowly, without hatred. I will add little drama at some point, though, because every couple goes through some little quarrels._

 _ **Last chapter being "heavenly":** Three words: I love you.3_

 ** _Worried Sasuke and what will happen to Sakura:_** _Aw, yes worried Sasuke melts my heart. I love to express how much he cares. As a man who grew up in a place where men are supposed to protect the family, he takes Sakura´s well-being as his responsibility. This is why he does not resent Kizashi for punching the hell out of him. He understands. Sakura is healthy again, by the way. She is not poisoned in the next chapter._

 ** _The couple´s distance because of the business transaction:_** _Yes, yes, yes. They will work it out, but they cannot pretend to be complete strangers to each other. This takes time, especially if they have to learn to love each other. As to right now, they slowly start to grow fond of each other as partners, friends, and maybe even little love interests. They got used to live with the other person, which is why the longing takes place. They only have each other to protect themselves, and the huge responsibility towards themselves and their family strengthens their bond._

 _ **Does Sasuke feel like he owns her because she took his last name?**_ _Heh. Let this be one of the next prompts, shall we?_

 ** _Sakura trusting Sasuke, but being a dangerous catch:_** _Sakura is the only daughter of Don Kizashi. As she grew up, she learned to be tough and to protect herself as the daughter of one of the most dangerous Dons out there. This is why she stands her own ground, but also respects her father´s choice of spouse for her, because she knows that Kizashi loves her deeply. She knows that he must have made huge researches about this choice, so she respects it dearly. He is her Papi, after all._

 ** _People loving my style, my content, how I make them interact, the SasuSaku moments… :_** _I am so glad you like how I write this! This is not the usual style I write in, so I am so happy that it turned out to be a good one! Love you all, guys! Please tell me if it feels rushed, odd, etc.!_

 ** _Hating that my chapters are so short:_** _I am a little sorry about this, but I have a few reasons. First, I have many other stories I am working on, as well as some little art projects on Tumblr. Sasuke Week is about to start, and there are many other events I would like to participate in. The worst thing is that my exams will start next month, and after that I will have an internship. I aim for short chaps because of this, since I can update sooner and keep myself motivated enough to write one chapter in one go. I hope you understand!_

 ** _I made a Don Uchiha fanart and posted it on my Tumblr. Go have a look if you want!_**

 ** _IMPORTANT: Please, please! If you have any cute married life prompts, do tell! I have some in mind, and I google real life couple moments (honestly, this is so embarrassing) so I can fill the chapters until the lovey-dovey stuff can begin._**

 _Love you all! Thank you so much for your great support! Please keep on with these awesome reviews!_

 _\- Beat ^^_


	5. Chapter 5

_Sweet Cherry – 5_

* * *

Next time as they find themselves in the hospital again, he is the one who sits on the hospital bed.

"Brainless!"

He winces a little at the aggressive way she stitches the wound on his arm. He also suspects she knowingly left out the painkiller shot before the treatment.

"Foolish!"

After the stitches, the bandages come next. Most doctors and nurses take their time with this, though she is _not just any doctor_ – which he has yet to learn.

"Violent!"

She wraps the bandages so tight around his arm that he fears they might squeeze the blood out of it. It is certainly not a pleasant feeling, so he notices his patience fading away.

" _Men_!"

" _Come back to your senses, woman_!"

There is one last slap on his wound before she retreats a few steps back from him. She knows she has humiliated his pride as a man, but she is convinced that he deserves it. He watches the way she successfully avoids his glare as she cleans the room and collects the utensils she has used. The angry blush on her cheeks is clearly visible, so is the one of his ears. His hand brushes through his hair in an angry hurry.

He notices that it is still sweaty.

"You´re a lucky devil, nothing more."

"I am the man who defends your honour, _wife_."

She gives him a calculating look before she closes her eyes and sighs. The shaking of her head and chiding click of her tongue makes him narrow his eyes more, but he chooses to stay silent for now. He knows she attempts to decrease her fury because it is not worth the anger, yet he cannot help but be disappointed by her.

"I know", she sighs. She looks at him again, blush still visible, but angry wrinkles vanished from her face. "There was sill no need to go _that_ far."

He scoffs, and she is irritated. "There was, and there still is."

She shakes her head again, grabs a glass with water and holds it out to him as she settles herself next to him on a chair. He gladly accepts the water and drinks as she responds.

"You confuse me. You shot down the man who poisoned me _with the permission of his Don_. The revenge is settled, so why do you insist on going even further and beating the hell out of the other men?"

This is when she sees a slight trace of regret on his face – and hesitance because of…

… _shame_?

He swallows the water before handing the glass over to her again.

"Because _he_ was the one who took revenge on _me_."

Her body stops, and there is no movement before she blinks rapidly and tilts her questioning head at him.

" _Excuse me_?"

He leans back on the hospital bed, wincing at the pain on his newly stitched chest. This is when he closes his eyes to relax – _and to escape hers_.

"I cut his brother´s ear off when we were younger", he turns his head away from her as he hears her gasp aloud.

He clears his throat and adds, "Among other things."

" _Other_ things?!" She questions if she heard him right until she sees his neck and ears turn red.

Her silence encourages him to look at her again, and he finds her mouth still wide with disbelief.

Then he raises his hand in a gesture that tells her to stop any thought of prejudice towards him that she might have in her mind. "Look, Sakura. We were all young boys some time. Years ago. I hardly remember all the things I did –"

" _All_ the things?", she repeats, not very satisfied with what he has said.

He rubs his face vehemently, thinking about a way to escape this disaster of a confession. " _Many_ things. We were young, and reckless, and _boys_." He looks at her, somewhat pleadingly – as pleadingly as a proud Uchiha can be. "We´ve never thought about our future. About how our actions might affect us _someday_."

"Has there also ever been a woman?"

He blinks, and the crossing of her arms in front of him is surprisingly intimidating in this very moment.

"Wha – I – No!"

She raises a delicate pink eyebrow at him, innocently breathing, "Oh?" She slowly nods to herself several times.

"So there have been _women_?"

" _Never_."

He is clearly insulted, so he stays silent for a little while, yet his eyes never leave hers. They stare, and it is a contest, since the one who looks away _first_ loses. Time passes, and as she finally gives in and averts her eyes does he let out the breath his lungs were capturing inside. What he said is not a lie – but it is also not easy to persuade his wife to believe him. They are still strangers after all, even if they have started to grow closer in these past two months of marriage.

.

.

.

During the night that follows, she feels someone slip under the sheets beside her in their bed. She is alarmed because there is no way it can be _him_. Her husband was told to rest in the hospital for three days, so she took her leave alone hours ago. She slowly reaches for a gun beneath the bedsheets – _one of many_ – and then moves _fast_.

"Do not move if you feel sorry for your life."

It is a warning, and she waits for two safe seconds before she turns on the light of the lamp on her nightstand.

There is a smirk and a gasp, a knowing look and disbelieving doe-eyes.

"I´m happy to be home as well", her husband says as he looks at her from under their bedsheets. He then eyes the gun in her hand, still pointing at him, "Will you let go of that soon?"

Her hands follow his command, placing the gun beneath them on the bed.

"Why are you here?"

"I missed home."

" _Sasuke_ ", she stresses, almost hisses.

He pats the spot next to him. "Lay down first. I feel bad enough for rudely interrupting your sleep." She follows reluctantly, settling next to him, facing him.

He turns his head towards her as he cannot do more because of his injuries, "I made many enemies in my past because of my reckless behaviour."

He stares at her, then pulls the bedsheet higher on her body, protectively.

"I cannot leave you alone."

She breathes in, deep, and the same way out. She is angry, she could be furious even – _but her husband is doing it again_. This caring and charming nature of him, the gentle man in a bull´s body is what keeps pulling her towards him. It is what keep her heart melting, what softens her soul, what she starts to adore about him. _This is why he went as far as to beat up more men than necessary_ _and not only the one who poisoned me_ , she muses, _because he wants to show everyone that he will protect me at any costs_. It is in these tiny moments when he shows this side of him that she believes a little more in their bond – _that he might be truly the right man for her._

She turns the light off and wishes him a restful night. He nods and tells her the same while he hears her settle next to him again.

It is shortly after he closes his eyes that he feels soft lips press against his forehead before he falls asleep – _with the pleasant feeling of warmth and home that carries him through his dreams._

 _._

 _._

 _._

 _Fin._

* * *

 _Beat´s Note: Next chap is up, yay! This was so fun to write. I love the way they finally communicate with each other. They sound like some friends to me who treasure each other deeply – with the side note that there is something more than friendship slowly starting to burn between them. As you can see, they still have to find out things about their younger lives about each other, but these are things that are told with time._

 _ **Awesome & love it: **__I love you, too, for appreciating this story so much! Might as well tell me what exactly you find awesome and what you love so much about the story? I don´t want to force you, it is just something that would help me to improve my writing and style to produce higher quality fanfiction one day – and the further chapters._

 _ **Sasuke being jealous of Kizashi & how much that punch hurt: **__Well, Sakura loves her papi very much, haha! He raised her on his own so they have a very strong bond – especially because she is his only child and daughter. He is also Sasuke´s number one rival when it comes to Sakura´s affection and love because of that. Kizashi entrusted his only daughter to Sasuke, but she was poisoned in their own home, which Sasuke must protect as the man of the villa. Kizashi was very disappointed by him, and he had to somehow get his anger out on somebody – and Sasuke was the only one at that time who was perfect for this. Of course, Kizashi helped Sasuke beating up the responsible man for the poison afterwards._

 _ **Who poisoned the Sweet Cherry wine?**_ _Ahem. No spoilers here, sorry. Their names will drop, but this needs to wait._

 _ **Making hearts flutter:**_ _Yes! This is the point of the whole writing, so glad that I could accomplish my goal, haha._

 _I am also soooo very happy about some great prompts for this story I received by a nice person on tumblr. It goes from camping outside to Christmas or even taking care of each other in sick times. These prompts were really inspirational and I hope to receive support like this for the rest of this story! Talking about it; thank you all so much for the favourites, the follows and the awesome reviews!_

 _~ Beat ^^_


	6. Chapter 6

_Sweet Cherry – 6_

* * *

A husband staying at home is nothing to be concerned about, she knows. A husband _forced to stay at home_ is something to be aware of, she learns. The shooting which led him to be hospitalized a few days prior has damaged his quick and precise movements to a serious extent. She has managed to make him stay in bed for the first two days, but he becomes more stubborn and nervous with every passing hour. This is why she is about to lose her patience as she tries to feed him a soup she has cooked, since he is not allowed to eat heavy meals yet.

"Open your mouth, or I will _make you_."

His stubborn scowl and turn of his head reminds her of a child, but she does not say it out loud. The spoon with the soup in her hand still lingers in the air as he talks.

"Bring me something that actually resembles food, woman. I feel like I´ve only drank water during these past days."

She sighs, because it might be the twentieth time she heard his complaint, "Doctor´s rules, Sasuke. I cannot give you anything else for the time being." She hears him sigh through his nose, which reminds her of a bull this time. "Your body has to use its energy to heal your wounds and not to be wasted for the digestion of your favourite meals."

He sighs again and turns his head back to look at her, not once giving a glance to the spoon in her hand. "Fine", he says as he grabs the plate with the soup and swallows it down without using a spoon. She grimaces at the barbaric way of his manners, disgusted, but does not comment on it. She knows this is her last victory as his arm wipes off the remaining drops of soup around his mouth. He does not let go of the plate as he climbs out of bed. She stands up in return and positions herself in front of him, like a barrier.

"Where are you going with that plate in hand?"

"I´m going to take it back to the kitchen." His chin is held up high and chest pushed to the front as he narrows his eyes at her.

"What are you staying in front of me for?"

"I am here", she steps one foot closer to him, leaving only inches between their bodies, "to take care of your health and to let you rest, so this task of cooking and keeping the house clean is my part – and _not_ _yours_ , mister."

He hums lowly, letting his eyes roam over her face as he lets his own getting closer to hers, look _deepening_. She does not miss this, and blinks a few times, touching areas of her face and examining her hand afterwards. "What? Is something on my face?", she asks as his eyes continue their dance. He hums, repeatedly, before his hand rises and his fingers touch her cheek, lightly. She flinches a little, not being used to this spontaneous closeness of him yet, and he only continues humming.

"Your face looks even prettier from a close-up perspective."

It is when she blushes and stutters his name that he takes advantage and rushes out of the room, chuckling with every step. He is already on the way to the kitchen as her hand finds the spot on her face, touched by him only moments ago. She is giddy inside because of this unexpected compliment of his, but also disappointed and slightly _hurt_ because she wonders if it was only meant to be a joke to escape.

Her eyes narrow, and her hands turn into fists as she makes her own way to the kitchen.

.

.

.

He is washing his used plate as she enters the room, spoon still in hand, and knuckles turned white.

"There you are!", he says as he turns to look at her. "What did take you so long?" Then he shows her his boyish smirk she is accustomed to by now. "Has my joke startled you that much?"

She does not say a word but only walks closer to him to let the used spoon fall into the kitchen´s sink. He follows her movements, smirk slowly fading into a concerned straight line of lips. His hands stop the cleaning as she grabs a glass of water and sits down by the kitchen´s table. He stands still for a few seconds to contemplate what has gone wrong before he quickly finishes his task of cleaning. After he has dried his hands does he take a seat in front of her, facing her.

"Sakura", he says. "I sincerely apologize for what I did."

"Oh?", she breathes out, the disappointed look still lingering on her face. "What have you done wrong, if I may ask?"

This is when he is taken aback, and his eyes leave hers. They close, and when they look at hers again does she truly see the regret on his face.

"I…don´t know."

She nods once, slowly, staying silent. He clears his throat and his mouth opens and closes several times as if it struggles to let out what it should.

His hand finds its way into his hair and on his neck as he speaks, "Could you tell me what I´ve done wrong?"

She hisses and he hears some murmuring along the lines of "men" and "Idiots" before she answers his question.

"Do never", she warns him with a raised finger, "try to startle me by using foolish lies."

His lips slightly part and his eyes narrow as he recalls what he has said to his wife just a few minutes ago. Then his face becomes as grim as hers, because this time _he_ is feeling disappointed and hurt.

"Why would I ever lie about my wife´s beauty, Sakura?"

It is her who is startled by his words this time. The fluttering giddiness inside her is coming back again, and her heart beats faster at the way he smiles at her, with this boyish gentleness. She knows he does this because of her embarrassed blush, so her heart rate and reddened face become worse…

… _or is it even better, this way?_

He raises his hand, and it brushes against her cheek again, holding it like a treasure. As it starts stroking does his other hand take her own hand in his, lacing their fingers together.

"How could I ever deny my wife´s God-given beauty?"

She huffs with amusement at his words, averting her eyes and face since it is difficult for her to withstand his heavy look. He quickly grabs her chin, though, and moves her smiling face to look at him again. "Don´t look away", he breathes as his smile is playful but genuine, showing white teeth and making her light giggle match his own.

The giggling continues until they hear his stomach growling – and they share a heartfelt laughter.

.

.

.

 _Fin._

* * *

 _Beat´s Note: I cannot say much to this chapter – only that the fluff killed me and I love their relationship more with every passing chap._

 _ **Sasuke being a cute and dreamy gentleman:**_ _Oh my God, I know right? I fell in love with this Sasuke, and I slightly start to believe that he might have become like this if the massacre would not have occurred. I decided to use this character of him more often in my fics! I love him so much like this!_

 _ **Liking both Sakura and Sasuke in this fiction:**_ _Ayyy, glad you like them so much, too! I love how gentle Sasuke is, and how badass and determined Sakura is as well. This gives me so many feels!_

 _ **My Don Uchiha art**_ _: Oh my God, you really visited my tumblr! So glad you liked it! I looked a little into The Godfather scenes and the Don owns a cat there, too, haha. This is how I was inspired. He really looks badass, right?_

 _ **My chaps being short drugs and memorable**_ _: This is exactly how I want it to be, haha. Glad that you think of this as a drug – it tells me that you won´t let go of it so easily. It´s the best thing to tell a writer, thank you! My goal is achieved!_

 _ **Thanking me for my work**_ _: I must thank you, reviewers, follower, and favs for liking my work! You are the ones who motivate me to go on and keep my stories alive! Thank you so, so much again!_

 _ **People saying this being great, cute, and loving it**_ _: Ayyy, I love you all! Thank you so much! It means the world to me!_

 _ **Someone seeing this on tumblr and reading it on ffnet**_ _: This sounds great! I always wondered if some of you guys first see my profile on one site and find your way to my other one through it. This is a great achievement, since I somehow make you interested enough to check out my other blogs._

 _ **Trying to find good mafia fics:**_ _Oh dear, I feel you. I love mafia AUs, and there are only a few ones which I truly like, but they´re not many, believe me. It is not the writing or style I dislike most times about them, mind you, but the way the characters are portrayed, mostly. It goes from them being too violent to too badass, to too afraid, etc. When it comes to SasuSaku, though, I really hate it if there is always (!) too much tension between them from the beginning, be it anger or attraction. Sometimes it is great if there is a lot of tension, but this is used too often already. These things need time, and there is not always need for strong tension in my opinion._

 _ **Danger, slow burn, ss-badassery – who wouldn´t love it?**_ _True story, haha! I cannot deny this, especially the slow burn part. It makes me proud to read that my fic contains these three elements because I was aiming for it, no lie! Amazing! Thank you!_

 _Please keep the support and reviews coming! It is amazing to read them. I still accept prompts, by the way, so if you want a specific domestic scene happening between them, do tell me._

 _~ Beat ^^_


	7. Chapter 7

_Sweet Cherry – 7_

* * *

Throughout these past days in which he has been bed-bound, she grasps more knowledge about her husband than she ever has in these past months. He has a habit of brushing his teeth first before going into the shower, does not wake up before ten am, is most adoring when tired, has a distaste for cold food, and many more. Frankly speaking, she believes it is funny and fascinating at the same time. Although she has been living with men her whole life, to have a man at home by her side every second and every hour gives way to interesting perceptions about men – _and particularly about her husband_.

It is during the seventh night that she learns new things about him again. Her husband has an enormous amount of energy which is meant to be wasted during the day. Unless this happens, he will not fall asleep until the early hours of mornings.

He turns around and wiggles with his limbs as she attempts to sleep. It was midnight when they went to bed, and she is sure time has reached one am already. He has been rolling around, swaying his legs over the edge of the bed, scratching the wall behind the headboard with his nails, and sighing at least ten times in the past hour. She stays patient and silent, praying that he finally may fall asleep so she can rest peacefully, but her hopes are broken apart as she feels him poking her arm several times.

"I´m bored", he exclaims. She smiles at the way he sounds like a child.

"Then sleep."

"I´ve been trying", he says, stating the obvious.

She sighs and rolls around, dragging the large bedsheet they share with her, so he grabs onto the end of his own part to keep it there. She does not notice this, and he keeps silent because he knows that she _always pulls the sheets_ and he cannot do anything about it _– which is something he has learned about her._

Her hand buries itself beneath her head and pillow. She looks into his eyes through the darkness but does not answer.

"Could you turn on the lights?"

"Sasuke", she sighs as her free hand scratches her head, which is a clear sign of her irritation, "It´s past midnight and dark. You have to sleep to take your health and energy back – "

"But I´m not tired."

She pretends she has not heard him, " – and _I_ am tired because I´ve looked after you and the house all day long. I deserve some rest, don´t you agree, husband?"

He blinks, once, and answers almost seductively as he slowly pulls on the sheets, inch by inch, "You won´t have to wake up early. You can just sleep in."

She holds onto the sheets, and they start to pull simultaneously, "I´m an early bird, though. I also don´t want to disturb my sleeping schedule."

They pull a little harder, her arm suddenly jerking into his direction before she pulls with more strength using both arms.

He smirks as he mockingly replies, "Do it for your husband."

She scoffs as she pushes against his legs with her own, not showing mercy for his _actual_ sick state.

"You _wish_!"

They pull and pull, and it is as he waits for the perfect moment in which she shows weakness because of her sleepiness that he pulls with full force. She almost flies over the bed – and falls onto him. He holds her tight with his arms and legs, and he cannot stop chuckling as she tries to wiggle herself out of his limbs. One kick against the mattress is left before she pushes them out of the bed, letting him fall backward, pulling her with him. He lands on his back with a thump, and his legs are still resting on the bed as she rolls herself off him with a furious blush on her face. Although she attempts to silence him by throwing the bedsheets at his face, his chuckle does not vanish but becomes louder in return. Her nightgown has been pulled upwards – _which is the actual reason to her blush_ – so she adjusts her appearance just before she finally turns on the lights. The laughter has died down but left a wide smirk on her husband´s face, which is exposed to her as he pulls the sheets off him. His hair is wildly sticking out in every direction, and she is fascinated by the boy she sees in front of her. Her lips are slightly parted as she gazes at him, astonished by the way he suddenly looks much younger than before.

"I believe you are awake now?", he asks half-heartedly, grinning in triumph.

.

.

.

It is after the second round of chess that he yawns, and it is her who grins this time.

"Oh", she breathes with too much innocence.

"I believe you are sleepy now?"

He blinks and frowns at her. They are sitting on their bed, both cross legged and in front of each other. She holds onto her pillow which she rests her head on, trying to balance her sleepy thoughts on it.

His answer is, "No, because this game bores me out of my mind."

It is then that she throws a pillow at his head before he catches it with ease.

"It´s the only one we have", she explains. "And I´m certainly not willing to play something else at the moment." She holds her chin high, as if thinking that she has won this argument.

He is deep in contemplation before something crosses his mind and draws a smirk on his face.

"I have an idea to make this game…more _exciting_ ", he says in a dirty way that sends her chills up her spine. Her shoulders rise and she observes him with distrust.

"What idea?"

"We will have a competition."

He hurries on as he sees her mouth opening in protest, "The winner is granted one wish by the loser." There is an evil spark in his eyes as he adds, " _Any_ wish."

She holds his look for a moment before she adjusts her sitting position on their bed. She sits on her legs, and back straight, hands laying on her lap. Then she observes the chess game – _and_ _agrees_.

.

.

.

" _Damnit_!"

His fist hits the mattress as she collects the game and places it on her night stand with an everlasting smile on her face. She pats the game box gently before she slips under the bed sheet and turns her head to look at her husband.

"My wish", she says with a grin which is a counterpart to his frown, "is to sleep. Good night, dear husband."

These are her last words before she turns off the light on her night stand and contently sighs into her pillow. He sighs as well, which sounds more troubled than it should after losing a simple game. She glances at him through the dark and waits until he settles himself on his side.

She lets silence linger in the air before she finally asks.

"What was your wish?"

She feels him tensing, then turning to face her. There is silence again, and her curiosity increases with every passing second.

"A kiss", he admits almost shyly.

" _A kiss_ ", she repeats almost lightly.

She hums as if she is contemplating something. There is hope rising inside of him, and he wonders if she will grant him this one wish just this time. Then she turns around to face him, and there is her hum again before she answers.

"This is a wish for a different game."

He lets her sentence sink in, deep into the chaos of hurt pride that has built itself inside of him.

"Another one?", he breathes through the darkness, disappointed.

"Not just another one", she explains with a stern voice, "It is a different game which is _much more difficult to win than any other game._ "

He blinks many times as he tries to understand the hidden message behind her words. He knows that whenever she uses _that_ tone she is expecting him to find the mystery out all by himself, and as much as he tries to make her just tell him the truth behind it – _she is always way too stubborn to give in_.

"How do I win this game?", he asks, trying to use a different, indirect approach.

She smiles, and giggles. He knows that he lost when he heard her, and he swears to himself that he will find it out – _one way or another_.

" _This is for you to find out, husband_."

 _Because it is the game in which you will either lose – or win over my heart._

.

.

.

 _Fin_.

* * *

 _Beat´s Note: This was based on the prompt about them being competitive and having a game night. I loved it, and it turned out pretty well I believe. My favourites in this chapter are two things, besides me fangirling over the fact that they share one huge bedsheet, aww. One, Sasuke getting out of his adult-skull and releasing the, well, "boy" inside of him. Remember; there has not been a massacre in his life. This is why I let him be carefree sometimes. They are also in their early twenties, and guys that age are like this sometimes (even when they´re older). Two, Sakura´s "game"-suggestion that will grant Sasuke´s kiss. She is definitely aiming at a big game our guy is too male to understand, haha. She is actually inviting him to "win over her heart", but he has to find out himself how he has to get it._

 _My answers to_ _ **reviews**_ _:_

 _ **Stubborn, jealous, caring, gentleman Sasuke aka his character:**_ _Argh. I was typing and typing about why Sasuke and Sakura are like they are in this fic but decided to just add extra chapters in which you can get to know their past. I´ll try to focus on their history in the next chaps. Maybe with some flashbacks. I am not sure how I want to do this yet. I love their characters, so I will give my best to explain them to you._

 _ **Sasuke is smooth and his effect on Sakura:**_ _When I think of Sasuke here, I think of all the mafia guys in the movies which are overly smooth and handsome and can seduce all women with their charm. The difference here is that Sasuke only does that with Sakura, who is hard to catch, hehe. Also, since Sasuke is the second son of Don Uchiha, he must have a huge ego because of all the people who respect and envy him, which is why his answers are so smooth since he always thinks he wins any argument with them._

 _ **Sakura being a supportive, caring wife:**_ _Frankly speaking, she has to be because she does not have another choice – yet. Their security and safety depend on each other, and they know this. They can only stay safe from enemies if they work together, so they are forced to help each other out. It´s just that they accept it like this and think of this as their natural duty as spouses so they try to make the best out of it. I do not deny that there are already little feelings involved in this, though._

 _ **Me drawing a "super duper cool badass fanart for Sasuke and Sakura" of this fic:**_ _Wow, a request! This gave me an awesome idea, to be honest. I would love to draw a wedding picture, in an old style. You know these pics where the wife is sitting on a chair and the husband is stading behind her, resting his hand on her shoulder? This kind of picture. Once my exams are over, I will work on this! Thank you for this idea!_

 _ **Compliments on my art and writing:**_ _Ayyy, thank you so, so much!_

 _ **Someone not knowing that they needed a mafia AU-fic for SasuSaku and loving it:**_ _Glad that I can make you love it, haha. We all need some awesome mafia fics! I try to do what I can here because I can see where you are coming from. Thanks a lot for the appreciation!_

 _ **SasuSaku being competitive and having a game night:**_ _This prompt was perfect. As soon as I read it, I had this idea. Thank you so much and I hope you like it! It also made me realize that I have to bring in the other characters, especially the in-laws. I hope to do that soon._

 _ **SasuSaku being cute and adorable:**_ _I think I reached the next level of this with this chapter, haha._

" _ **Love it":**_ _Love you for loving it!_

 _ **Cuddle/Date prompts:**_ _Absolutely! I made a prompt list of the ones I received so far on tumblr and ffnet:_

 _Prompts so far (in no particular order):_

 _Adopting a pet,_

 _Stuck at home during storm,_

 _Cooking,_

 _Flu (one having one, the other taking care of the other),_

 _Summer vacation,_

 _First Christmas,_

 _New year,_

 _Cuddle,_

 _Going on date._

 _I will try to use them all. What I know for sure is that I will need more time for the next chapter because first, I have to update Caramella soon, which is my first priority regarding my fics now, and second, my exams are coming up next week and the weeks after that. I have to focus on these two now, but I will work on the story line in the time of my absence. Please be patient, my dear readers!_

 _Thank you so much for your support! This story reached plus 60 followers and 40 reviews with just 6 chapters! This is huge for me! I love you all!_

 _~ Beat_


	8. Chapter 8

_Sweet Cherry – 8_

* * *

He is unusually nervous as he walks through the villa which is positioned in the middle of a forest. It is a building of light green colour, with old-fashioned marble grounds and statues. The once colourful mosaic of the windows is pale, and the light that shines through leaves an ancient glow on his figure as he walks through the villa´s corridors.

It is the former home his wife grew up in – _it is the villa of no other than Don Haruno._

He has been called by his _father-in-law_ , a fact he has yet to get used to, especially because he has worked under Don Haruno´s order himself. There have been a few missions which were led by the Don in which he participated, but that was that. Thus, there haven´t been many occasions on which he could get to know his spouse´s father, not even during his sudden wedding.

However, his father-in-law is a Don for reason, and nothing less than that. A Don who is a father to many men beneath him and more. A Don with responsibilities, strength and authority. A Don who is feared and respected by many strong men, including his own father, Fugaku Uchiha.

If his father had not approved of the strength of the Haruno family, he would have not been married to his wife.

It is a bitter thought, one that makes him wonder if he would have chosen his wife himself at some point in his life, or if he would have been married to another. Only this thought is enough to make him feel grateful to his faith as he admits to himself that he cannot deny the fondness he already feels for his spouse.

He nods to the guards in front of Don Haruno´s room and waits for them to let the Don know of his arrival. The procedure is the same as everywhere. One guard enters the room, the other one examines and disarms the visitor. It is here that he gives away his two guns and one knife he always carries with him before he finally walks into the room. His back is straight, but chest not pushed out too much. Much confidence would be considered as disrespectful, and he cannot afford this in front of his father-in-law.

He takes a few steps forward, stops, and bows lightly in front of the Don before straightening up again. It is custom to wait for the Don to speak first, so he hides his irritation at the way the Don is silently watching him. As much as he would like to ask what is wrong, he cannot do but wonder if this is some testing or mocking by his father-in-law. He knows his wife, after all, and she surely has such habits.

After almost two long minutes of silence does the Don wave his guard out of the room. He stands up, slowly, and – to the other man´s utter relief – grins.

"Welcome to my house, son", the Don says, holding his arms up in an inviting gesture. "Come over and have a seat."

"Thank you, Sir", he says as he follows the Don´s lead. They sit down on the vast couch, next to each other.

"Skip the formalities, son", the older man comments as he lays back in a comfortable position, ankles crossed. The everlasting grin on his face does not vanish as he adds, "We´re family, after all."

The son-in-law nods, smiling lightly, "I would appreciate it. How may I call you?"

The Don immediately rolls his eyes, then laughs in a way so whole heartedly the other man has never heard before, and pats the younger man´s back, squeezing his shoulder.

"You can call me your father. But mind you", the Don says, a mysterious glint in his eyes. " _Papi_ is only reserved for my precious angel."

This is when he finally gives in and chuckles, to which his _father_ smiles.

"Noted."

"Speaking of", so the Don continues, "How´s my daughter? I hope she´s doing well?"

Even if the Don is trying to hide it, his eagerness to find out about the well-being of his daughter shows the younger man how concerned he is. "She´s recovered well", there is a little uncomfortable pause, caused by memories of punches to his face. "She should be getting ready to come over. I called her earlier to inform her of my schedule, and she said she´d follow soon."

The Don nods appreciatively, "Good, good. Always know about what the other one´s up to, doesn´t matter what. To know about each other is what keeps the marriage going smoothly."

That´s when the Don grabs something from beneath the table in front of them and takes a photograph album out.

"This is the reason why I invited you, son." The Don opens the first page, and the younger man´s eyes take in the picture of a young couple. "This is my wedding."

He is not sure of the Don´s real intentions yet, so he follows the man´s lead. He would continue to respond politely to the Don´s words and figure out the details later.

"A matching couple, I´d say."

"We were, indeed", the Don says triumphantly. Then he sighs, wearily, and repeats.

"We were. Indeed."

As much as he tries, he knows he cannot imagine the amount of pain his father-in-law must still feel after all those years. There is nothing more left than useless apologies and reassuring words, but it is the only thing he manages to let out.

"I´m sincerely sorry for your lost, father."

There is a sigh through the older man´s nose, and a grateful smile. After skipping a few pages of the album, the older man gestures towards a picture with a little baby of pink hair and vibrant green eyes.

"Don´t be, son", the older man says while he observes the image with fondness. "She´s left me more in this world than I could ever ask for."

The Don´s thumb traces slowly over the picture as his son-in-law is lost in his own thoughts. He has never seen his wife as a child before, and to witness her childhood if only through these pictures feels more intimate than he would have ever thought. He is finally seeing a part of her in which she is just her childish, happy, naïve self, and he cannot help but allow his lips to smile. He sees all of it as the Don shows him photograph after photograph. There she is, showing her first teeth, crawling on the ground, taking her first steps, drawing pictures with pencils in her hand, growing a little more with every photograph. He sees her when she is four, seven, ten years old. She looks so innocent, not caring about what happens in the world around her. His heart skips a beat at every picture he sees, and he cannot help but compare every single one of them to the woman he sees now. Her smile, the crinkling of her happy eyes, the pink locks, the form of her lips. There is so much that resembles his wife, so much that differs from her as well, and he burns every one of these into his memory.

The last picture, though, is the one which makes his expression frown. There should be happy memories, honest smiles, a lovely sight to see, but there is only the opposite to that.

It is a photograph of his own wedding.

He knows it well. There are fake smiles, concerned faces, forced closeness. There is nothing that resembles the natural and earnest people in the previous ones. It looks rather serious – _and sad._

"You noticed", the Don says as he examines the younger man´s face. "It´s nothing like the older pictures, am I right?"

He nods, reluctantly, as if not wanting to admit it – _to admit that she does not look happy by his side, that he could not make her happy on that day._

The Don asks, "What do you feel?"

The question takes him unprepared, and he stops, thinks, struggles to find an answer with all the overwhelming feelings that trouble him.

"I…"

The Don nods, and continues, "I´ll tell you what you feel." The older man leans back again, letting the album rest on his lap.

"You miss it. You miss the brightness of the older pictures. You miss the happiness, the smile, the shining eyes from before. You want it all back. It´s missing, and you crave it. You have the _urge_ to bring it back."

The silence is used to let the words sink in.

"But why?" The Don stops to think, brushing over his chin. "Why do women do this to us? Brighten our day? Give us this crave to make them happy? Can´t we be happy without them?"

The younger man´s hands turn into fists as he realizes it. What Don Haruno is trying to say is clear, yet he still continues speaking.

"I´ll tell you the answer. We _cannot_. We´re _fools_ without them, _for_ them. We´re craving their beauty, their attention, their _love_ like a _treasure_. We want it. We want it _all_ to ourselves because we´re selfish, but who cannot be selfish over women?"

He understands _everything_. Why his father-in-law invited him, what he tried to tell him. It is all clear.

"She is my most precious treasure, son."

The old hands of the Don take the photograph album and slowly push it onto the lap of his son-in-law, who can only watch the Don with agreement.

"And she´s _yours_ as well, now." The Don gestures towards the album, indicating for the younger man to look at it, "Go for it. Take the picture you treasure the most. Every man´s got to have at least one photograph of his wife in his wallet."

.

.

.

 _Fin._

* * *

 _Beat´s Note: Awww I love this chapter. Oh my God, I had so many feels about it. It killed me. This is so special, so emotional, so cute, so, SO ADORABLE. The bonding between them really melted my heart, and I didn´t want to stop writing._

 _So, the telling of their pasts has started with Sakura´s part. There will be a part 2 to this chapter, which will be the next one. Their conversation hasn´t ended, and there is still Sakura to appear. I can´t wait for it!_

 _And guys, we made it to 40 favs, 75 follows and 50 reviews! I am so happy about this OTL it´s overwhelming!_

 _Ok, so here are my replies to_ _ **reviews**_ _:_

 _ **Wish I have a Sasuke like that:**_ _Omg who doesn´t? I love him in this story, too! He is taking care of Sakura as good as he can, and he does so gladly. He will continue with it, especially after this talk with Kizashi!_

 _ **To the guest reviewer who read all chapters and reviewed all of them one after the other:**_ _OMG your reviews were amazing! Ok, they were short, but I loved to get one review after the other one in between short periods of, like, 5 minutes I think xD Thank you!_

 _ **Liking the flirty side of Sasuke:**_ _Well, it sometimes has to come out, doesn´t it? Glad you like him like that, haha. I give my best to show this side of him sometimes._

 _ **Hoping to see a kiss soon & Sasuke´s wish: **__I planned out their first kiss already Xd The scenery, when they will kiss, how, etc. It´s going to be special and very emotional! But it takes a bit of time to get there._

 _ **Always happy when I update:**_ _THANK YOU. I am happy about it, too xD I wish I could update every day!_

 _ **Wishing me luck on exams, to sleep well, eat well:**_ _Thank you so, so much! I already took 3 exams and there are 3 more to come. I hope they will go well._

 _Ok, guys! I can´t wait to give you another chapter! I don´t know when I will be able to update it, but I will do so in the next weeks I guess._

 _Thank you so, so much for your support!_

 _~ Beat ^^_


	9. Chapter 9

_Sweet Cherry – 9_

* * *

He stares at the photograph in his wallet one last time before putting it back into his pocket. He has chosen one from her childhood when she was at the age of ten, so her father said. It is a picture in which she is sitting in a garden, surrounded by mesmerizing flora and illuminating sunshine.

It was not easy to choose only one, so he took his time well. He would have loved to take many more with him, though he couldn´t allow himself to take more from the Don than he had offered to give. He believes he is cruel enough for marrying this man´s only family – _he cannot bring himself to take even more, not after how much their bond grew throughout their conversation._

He is grateful towards his father-in-law. Never would he have thought that a Don could be this cheerful, this joyful, so full of vital nature. He has never felt so at ease near a Don, not even around his own father.

 _This makes him even more grateful, since he knows that his wife had been in good care before their marriage._

"Father", he says, facing the Don. "I appreciate your choice in Sakura´s spouse." He is unsure if he should complete his thought, since he is scared it might cause some doubts coming from the older man, who watches his son-in-law with curious eyes.

"However, I must ask this; with due respect, why did you choose _me_?"

He´s not asking to raise doubts, but for clarification instead. He is afraid his question can bring forth irritation, but the Don smiles and nods to himself, as if he was waiting for this particular question.

"This is a question only your earnest mouth could ask, son. You answered yourself, though, in a way."

He frowns, deep in thought, and says, "Excuse me, father, but I do not understand."

The Don shakes his head, amused, and clicks his tongue the way his daughter does, as if lecturing a child.

"Sons of Dons are of malicious, dirty, and ruthless nature. They are egoists, so full of themselves that they could explode. It´s the way they´re raised; spoiled by their mothers, their servants, the clan, everyone. They think the world is meant to obey them because they have _power_ – power, which is nothing but the gift by their heritage."

What the Don is saying is nothing he is not already aware of. He knows of those sons, being the one who is mostly in touch with his peers. Yet, he cannot help but be embarrassed to assume that, of course, his father-in-law is addressing him as well. It is as the Don laughs at his sour, offended frown that he is as irritated just as during the first minutes he has spent with this man, today.

"Father?"

The Don shakes his head, grinning, then he raises his hand to squeeze his son-in-law´s shoulders.

"I´ve chosen you because you´re _the_ exception, son."

He feels guilty because he knows he is not, so he shakes his head, "I´m no saint, father."

The Don shows a dismissive gesture, as if throwing away all doubts his son-in-law has about himself. "No one is a saint, and those who claim they are, are even less than those who don´t." Then he plays with his beard, eyeing the young man before him. "What I mean is that you are simply different than those rats, in a good way. Tell me, Sasuke", the Don inquires as he playfully tilts his head.

"When finishing a duty, what do you do to celebrate your success?"

The young man raises his eyebrows, not quite understanding where the Don wants to lead him.

"I´m going home to celebrate with my wife?"

The Don laughs out loud, chest vibrating with joy. He nods vehemently, pointing with a wiggling finger at his son-in-law.

" _Exactly_!"

.

.

.

She plays the piano as if it is a muscle of her own body, a limb she has perfect control of. He is taken by the melody that leaves the instrument at the command of her fingers, moving fast and gracefully over it. Her back is straight, chin high, eyes half lidded, a smile on her face. She looks at peace and happy, and it is a sight he craves to see every day from the moment he wakes up to her face in bed.

He recalls what the Don has told him before his wife arrived, and he understands the Don´s message once more, just in this moment.

He sits down behind her on the ground, neck pressed against the back of the piano bench. He lightly tilts his head, watches her play, gaze never leaving her figure. He is mesmerized, almost intoxicated by the melody, and he does not even notice his subtle smile. His arms are crossed proudly in front of his chest as he closes his eyes to make his mind focus on his ears.

She is playing and playing without a break nor hesitance. She knows exactly how to treat the tiles, and he is aware of this, even though he has never played an instrument before. It´s a difference in the way they grew up, he thinks. He was raised to become a strong man, she to become a ladylike woman.

 _When his fingers held onto trees, earth, stone and later to guns and cars, did hers hold onto dolls and pianos when they grew up?_

 _And how can he be sure of that, when he does not know of her past at all?_

He is looking around her room then, to spot anything that may give him clues about her. They are in her former bedroom, a place far wider than his own. He remembers times when he would sneak out of his room to go to his big brother´s.

 _He wonders – if his wife had never had a sibling, did she stay here or go to her father instead when she felt alone?_

The melody comes to a closure, and he sighs through his nose because he misses the sound of her music already.

"What do you think of it?"

 _His gaze settles on her dressing table as he asks himself if the purchase of it was the end to her childhood, and the beginning to her life as a lady._

He is giving her a mocking glance, eyebrows raised. "Is that why you left your piano here after the wedding? Because you play so horribly?"

She gasps, forces a giggle out of her mouth, although he can see her brows approaching each other. "Oh shush, you liar", she says as she shoves him away from the bench. He chuckles and is stronger than her, so he takes a hold of it. His fingers sliding down to her own makes her movements stop. Then he eyes her fingertips, as if searching for the magic they were using on the piano just before.

"Your playing is brilliant", he corrects himself. "More brilliant than I could´ve ever imagined."

"Now you´re being as sycophant."

She stands up, freeing her hand from his hold, and rounds the bench to find a place to sit next to him. "First you disliked my playing, and now you say you love it?" They look at each other, now, both smiling in a playful manner, teasing.

He shrugs, and he answers, "I changed my mind when you looked like you wanted to slap me."

She laughs at this, and he smirks. He waits for her to relax, then curiously asks, "When have you started playing?"

She huffs the laughter away before humming in deep thoughts, "I received it on my fifth birthday." Then she smiles, and he can only guess what comes next.

"My Papi bought it for me."

He nods and smiles back. "He´s a great man." Her grin is cheeky as her fingers swiftly comb through her hair, "Someone is desperately trying to be the perfect son-in-law."

He snorts and adds, "I mean it." It brightens her smile, and he knows she is happy that the two closest men in her life get along. The gratefulness in her grows, and the conversation becomes more serious as she answers.

"Thank you for thinking so high of him. He is truly a great man, and a greater father to me."

He sees her hesitating, so he waits for her to continue. She swallows, a sign for her discomfort, yet she adds, "He raised me all by himself. He was not only a father to me but tried his best to fill the place of my mother." She looks into his eyes then, a little sad, but without tears. "You know that she died shortly after my birth, don´t you?"

He nods, earnestly, smile fallen from his face. "I do. And I am sorry for your loss, Sakura."

She shakes her head, hair moving around her shoulders, "Thank you, but you don´t need to be sorry. It may sound harsh, but", she stops, breathes in, "But I´m not sad because she died. I was too little to understand it – the loss and the grief, back then. I´m just a little melancholic because I have no memories of her, memories of how it feels to have a mother."

There is a feeling of hurt inside of him – of shared feelings he has with his wife. He dares to imagine a world without his mother, without the woman who gave him the endless love no one ever could have given him. The love of a mother is irreplaceable, so her loss would be unbearable for him. He feels shamefully selfish, but he still manages to shoo those thoughts away. Her question hurts him even more, though, and he feels even more ashamed because he does not know how to properly answer, yet he still tries.

"Sasuke, can you tell me", she almost whispers, "How does it feel to have a mother?"

.

.

.

 _Fin._

* * *

 _Beat´s Note: Yeah, well. Sorry for being absent so much. I have a valid reason, though. I don´t want to get into details, but I had health-issues for almost two months and I still suffer from it. It´s slowly getting better, though. (It´s also not life-threatening or mental issues, so pls don´t worry. It´s just kind of frustrating and affecting my daily life.)_

 _Anyways, few days ago I looked through my files and found out that I had actually finished this chapter before I was sick. It just needed editing, which I did today._

 _That said, will I update soon? I don´t know. If not soon, then when? Not sure, either. Just patiently wait for notifs, please._

 _So, here are my answers to selected reviews:_

 ** _The sweet bonding of Sasuke and Kizashi:_** _I´m still proud of that bonding scene. I was amazed at how well it turned out to be._

 ** _This is romantic:_** _Hell yeah, that´s what this should be about._

 ** _Sasuke is an angel – or not?:_** _hmmm dunno?_

 ** _She´s falling [for Sasuke]:_** _Yessss, this is how it´s supposed to be. Him? He´s already head over heels, that idiot._

 ** _I think she is happy with him:_** _*snorts* If you´d knew…._

 ** _This story is making me anxious:_** _I don´t know why you would. I mean, I don´t like unnecessary drama, right? Riiiiiight? ;P_

 ** _Wondering what photo he took:_** _I made him choose one in which Sakura is happily smiling. He´d get a warm feeling and more motivation whenever he looked at it._


	10. Chapter 10

_Sweet Cherry – 10_

* * *

As two little spoons of sugar are a necessity to her coffee, no coffee but tea is one to the way he likes to spend a stormy and lazy evening.

Of the storm that is no necessity but a nuisance to her, he does not know yet, but he will soon find out.

She is satisfied as she eyes the sweets she has put on the plate in her hands as she walks inside the living room. Her husband is taking care of the fireplace while she settles herself on a nearby couch. The spark in his eyes lets her know that he is very much pleased with his task, since, she muses, he almost looks like he is taming the flames.

 _What a childish and reckless man_ , she thinks amused and rolls her eyes.

Wiping dust off his hands, he turns around to give his wife an expecting look. Well aware of his ask for praise, she smiles at him but rolls her eyes again, imaginatively.

 _That husband of hers._

"I approve", is what she says.

In return, he lightly flicks her forehead before settling next to her – but not without receiving a soft punch from her.

"How dare you give me such a dry answer?", he inquires. Then he adds, "And how dare you bring only sweets to eat?" as he sees the snacks on the plate.

"How dare _you_ ", she answers, passionately biting into a biscuit, "expect more of me than I already give? And how dare you _not_ like sweets like an ordinary human being?"

His nose scrunches up as he watches her mouth moving delightfully with the biscuit inside.

"You're diabolical."

"You haven´t got any taste." She swallows, clicks her tongue. "Whether it be in food, sweets - ", her eyes wander upon him, "- or fashion."

"These", he grips his shirt, "are pyjamas. They´re meant to be _comfortable_ , not fashionable."

Just as she wants to make fun of the odd pattern and colors of his sleeping attire, a thunder strikes nearby. She jolts up, immediately, surprising her husband in the process. He is fast to hold her steadily by her arms, however, keeping her sitting in place.

"Relax", he soothes, lightly squeezing her arms. "Are you alright?"

She closes her eyes, sighs, opens them again, and searches for his worried face. "Yes. I´m sorry for startling you." As she notices how close he holds her to himself, she gently slides backwards on the couch, to which he lets go of her.

She clears her throat, visibly embarrassed. For her husband, however, it is something to be concerned about.

"Are you…afraid of thunder?"

She looks at him from beneath her narrowed eyelashes, "A little."

"How come?"

She has never liked of others to know about her fears, but his urging to know more about them is something she oddly feels comfortable with.

Just as she opens her mouth to answer, another thunder strikes again. This time, only her eyes move towards the windows but are soon to meet her husband's again, yet there is still a little fear in them.

 _It is something he immediately notices_.

"When I was little" she starts, "Papi often left me alone at home with our servants. One day, I sneaked outside without anyone noticing." Her eyes are mischievous and cheeky when she says this, a little grin appearing on her lips to which he can't help but snort as well.

"Anyhow" she starts again, taking another biscuit from the plate. "So, I went outside and a storm suddenly welcomed me there. I was lost and hopeless when several thunders struck nearby. Lucky as I was, our servants found me."

"What else are you afraid of?"

He carries an innocent expression, yet she feels suspicious for some reason. "May I know what lies behind all these questions, husband? Fears aren't things I enjoy discussing."

He holds his hands up, defensively. "I don't mean to pry nor any harm. I'm simply curious."

She measures his honesty. "Curious?"

Leaning against the armrest and holding her legs to herself, she answers with her coffee in her hands, "I told you one fear of mine. Now it's your turn. Then I'll tell you one more."

He leans against the opposite armrest, legs crossed, arms loosely hanging over the couch and his stomach. He catches her playful demand, and gives in immediately.

He nods towards the plate with biscuits. "I'm genuinely afraid of sweets."

She rolls her eyes, smiling.

"I've noticed." She thinks, then answers, "I'm afraid of overprotective mothers-in-law."

He raises one eyebrow. "What are you trying to imply?"

"Last time she asked me whether you wear the sweater she knitted for you before you go to sleep."

His head is titled to the side, letting his black hair falling over his cheek, shrugging. "That is what mothers do."

Since she has no experience to add to the conversation, she simply gestures for him to continue.

He hums, looking around the living room to find something while she enjoys her coffee. Then his gaze settles on the fireplace, and back on her. His expression changes into something she can't detect, but which does not make her uncomfortable for some reason.

He says, "I'm scared of losing my family."

The weight in his words and gaze does not unsettle her. They have been married for a few months already, and she has gotten used to his serious, yet gentle expression. She smiles, and she is well aware of the warmth that suddenly spreads through her and is visible on her cheeks.

"So am I."

He smiles back, his eyes never leaving hers.

"We've been through so many dangerous times", she starts to explain, then sighs. Her legs shift in front of her, her hands put her cup on the table to hug her knees instead. "When we were chased in dark alleys, when I was poisoned, when you were injured…"

He nods, remembering all those difficult times. His smile vanishes, leaving a sour expression on his face. He feels a knot building in his lower throat, a fear like no other.

 _It is a fear of losing what he holds close to himself._

"During all those situations, I felt like our marriage brought more danger upon us and our families. Sometimes…", she stops, her voice thinner, her eyes narrower. "Sometimes, I wonder if we hadn´t been married – "

" _Don't_."

His voice is strict, almost angry. His knuckles turn white, as hands turn to fists. She does not say no more, only her eyes show her worry. She sighs again, hands shaking a little as she adjusts her hair to distract herself.

Then she mumbles incoherent words as she stands up to carry the plate back to the kitchen. He does not allow her to, though, but holds onto her wrist and pulls her back to the couch. He adjusts their positions so that they can sit comfortably next to each other. He does not let go of her, but slowly glides his hand down to hold onto her smaller one. Playing with her fingers, he observes their intertwined hands.

"I know it´s been…rough." His fingers' movements become slower, gentler. "I know I might've not been the husband you wished for, not by any means."

"Sasuke – "

"Let me finish." He does not allow her to interrupt him. His eyes are steady and firm, but also warm as he finally looks into hers.

"I want you to know that I'm trying. I'm really trying to keep everyone safe. To keep _you_ safe." He pauses to gather his thoughts and feelings. It is even harder for him to explain as her eyes become glassy with wetness.

"But most significantly, I'm trying to keep _us_ safe." His other hand slowly moves upwards to press its palm on her cheek, his thumb caressing in slow circles. "I'm not only doing this because it's my duty as your husband. There's…another reason." He wonders if he sees a sparkle in her eyes in this moment, wanting to believe so. He gathers all his courage to spell what is in his mind – _in his heart_.

"It's because…because you're..."

She smiles, and laughs a little, enjoying the faint red on his cheeks.

 _Really, that husband of hers._

"It's alright", she says, holding onto his hands with hers. "I understand what you want to say."

Then she adds, shyly, as she looks down on their intertwined fingers, slowly brushing against each other. "I'm falling for you, too."

He smirks, with that familiar boyish grin on his face, almost mockingly. Slowly moving his head close to hers, he whispers, "I hope there's no ground beneath you then."

She chuckles, not believing her ears. Then, she finally looks into his eyes. "How can you joke at a time like this?"

"Who says I'm joking?"

Then she giggles even more, her smile never leaving her. He also grins wider, satisfied with himself.

 _As long as I can make you happy like this, he thinks, that's all that matters._

Little tears fall from her eyes, but her smile remains. His hands reach for her face to wipe them away. She starts to sniffle a little, rubbing her hand on her red nose.

Then she says, almost mumbling, "You've won."

And before he can ask what she means, he feels a pressure on his lips, a warm feeling in his chest, and he suddenly understands.

His eyes close, his thoughts blank, his heart at home.

* * *

 _Fin._

* * *

 _Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter, finally after so many months! I was in the mood to write some fanfiction so I immediately tried to finish this, and here we are! And yes! There's finally a kiss 3_

 _Here are answers to comments, as usual:_

 ** _Like how I portray them_** _: I'm really grateful about this. I'm trying to make them as less OOC as possible, but given that this is not the real Naruto world, I have to change their characters a little, like making Sasuke a little more soft (though, if we look at Sasuke retsuden, it looks like he can be very soft, indeed 3)_

 ** _Hoping for my recovery_** _: Thank you! I'm way better now and life comes back to normal again. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been a new chapter, hahaha._

 ** _They are slowly and surely bonding, without drama and rejections, to make the best of their situation:_** _This is how I wanted this fanfiction to be from the beginning, so I'm very pleased that this is how this fic is perceived like._

 ** _Sasuke´s so cute_** _: Yes, he is!_

 _See ya! ^^_


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